as a star defensive tackle for georgetown university. after college, he met the love of his life. and they moved out west. august 5th, 2006 happened. he spent the afternoon playing beach volleyball with some friends. between games, he ran down the ocean to cool off. he dove into the waves, hit a sandbar and was instantly paralyzed from the neck-down. you're in the water. you can't move. waves are crashing over you. what's going through your mind at that point? >> there was a moment when i was thinking, that could be my last breath. >> reporter: fortunately, an off-duty emt pulled him ashore. and they rushed him to the hospital. a doctor delivered the devastating news to his girlfriend, susan. >> she looked my in the eye and said, you need to be prepared for him never to walk again and walked away. i'll never forget that. >> reporter: with his spinal cord fractured, he spent two months in intensive care, developed pneumonia and nearly died twice. >> he came to me and said, you don't need to do this. you don't need to be here. i promised him that, as long as his heart and his mind s